Propeller and engine jointly for aeroplanes



Nov. 8, 1932. R. YATES PROPELLER AND ENGINE JOINTLY FOR AEROPLANES Filed D80. 29, 1931 I N VEN TOR.

P05??? yaZz Patented Nov. 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nosnn'r YATES, or rassnc, msw mass! momma m ENGINE comm: roa momma-s Application filed mumm- 2a, '1931. Serial No. 58am.

This invention relates to variablepitch proinder, 30, until the coupling, 28 and 280, parts,

pellers variable in fii ht, and in which the enas described in the relative specification gine shaft is also t e propeller shaft and my present invention the coupling, 28-280,

which in this improvement, embodies the esis firmly coupled by the spindle bolt, 29, and 5 .sential mechanism controlling the operation the propeller is operated, manually only, to

of the propeller. increase the pitch angle of the blades, (the The principal and ,distinctl new features pitch angle is then decreased in both embodied in this invention an on which Letof these inventions by pressure of the air on ters Patent is respectfully requested are the trailing edge of the rotating blades).

First: Means in the formof balls for con- Describing the drawing hereto attached.-

veying a positive pressure and movement Fig. '1 shows the propeller connected dithrough a tortuous duct or channel within a rectlyto a short engine shaft, 40, having only I rotating propeller and engine shaft, and at one crank. This shaft is hollow at both ends the same time permitting a lubricating fluid ,and the chambers, 43-431, so formed are conto pass through the channel around the balls nected through the intervening crank, or 'tobedrawn o for lubricating purposes. cranks, bya duct or channel, 430. There is Second: Means for increasing the pitch ana piston-head in each end chamber and the gle of the blades of a rotating aeroplane prochambers and duct between these pistons are peller, manually through atortuous propeller filled with a lubricating fluid and metallic and engine shait, then decreasing the pitch balls, 36. The piston, 420; at the rear end of again, automatically, but under manual conthe shaft is connected to a handwheel, 370,-

trol. and screw, 37, and the piston, 4-2, at the for- Third: Means for curving the intersections ward ,end is connected to the outer cylinder, of a channel or duct ina tortuous engine and 31, of the telescoping and operating cylinpropeller shaft to permit the free passage of ders,.3031, so that pressure put on the pismetallic balls through the duct. ton, 420, by the handwheel-screw, 37, is trans- Apropeller embo ying these and other feamitted through the metallic balls, 36, and

tures is herewith illustrated and described. a lubricating fluid to the piston head, 42, driv- By reference to the drawing illustrating ing the outer operating cylinder, 31, lo '1 this invention it will be seen that there is a tudinally forward, and turning the inner e-" "similarity of the gin-ts and design. to my scoping cylinder,30, laterally, then through former invention, rial No. 366,796, dated the equalizing gears, 25, 26 and 19, the blades, May 29, 1929, and for the purpose of com- 16, are caused to turn axially and increase parison the reference numbers on the drawing their pitch angle accordingly, and against the of the corresponding parts of the two invencounteracting premurc of air on the eccentiic tions are made the same, the operation of the Y area, 160, on the trailing edge ofthe rotating '-two propellers is, however, distinctly difierblades. Fig.1, also hows a spring,- 303, de-

- ent, viz: signed to reduce the pitch angle of the blades In y former invention (Serial backto normal when the propeller stops ro- 366,796) the pitch angle of the blades is intating, and the piston, 420, is drawn back by creased automatically by the torsional power the screw, 37. t

of helical springs. In my present invention Fig. 2 indicates the twist of the hellcal I'lbS the pitch angle of the blades is increased, and grooves cut on the shell of the inner opmanually, through mechanism within the encrating cylinder, 30, also shows the coupling,

gine shaft,asspecifiedbelow. 28280, connecting this cylinder, 30, with .7 In ;my former invention (Serial No. the pinions and equalizing gear of the pro- 366,7 96) the automatic operation of the propellet;

peller is separable from the manual opera Fig. 3 shows one half, 28, of the coupling,

tion. while inflight, by" withdrawing the op 28-280, cut on the end of the pinion, 25. crating cylinder, 31, from the telescoping cyl- Fig. 4 shows a cross-section, cut

scoped one into the other.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of either chamber,

43 or 431, showing the preferred proportionate size of the balls, 36, so they will pass through the ducts, 430, in single file.

Fig. 6, (A) shows a cross-section of the duct, 430, with the balls in single file (B) and (C) shows four and three small balls, respectively, abreast in the duct, 430.

Fig. 7 illustrates the action of the air pres- .sure, on an eccentric area, 160, on the trailing edge of the blades of a rotating propeller a to a, indicates the line of flight. b to 72, indicates the plane of rotation. cc, represents a section of a blade at its great pitch angle. d-d, represents a section of a blade at its lesser pitch angle. 160, represents the out lying eccentric area on the trailing edge of the blades, and the arrows, e-e, indicate the line of air pressure on this eccentric area when the propeller is rotating over from b to b, and causing the blades to turn on their axis, L, from their great pitch 0-0, to their lesser pitch d-d.

In the drawing the figures indicate the parts as follows, and similar characters refer to similar parts in the several views.

15, Fig. 1, indicates the hub piece of the propeller.

16, Fig. 1, shows a part of a blade with the shank screwed into the sleeve, 17, and for illustration, shows the broad side of the blade toward us with a greater area, 160, on the trailing side of the axial center line, L, than on the leading side. I

17, Fig. 1, refers to sleeves, holding the shanks of the blades, and connecting them with the equalizing gears 19, 25 and 26.

18, Fig. 1, is a ball thrust bearing holding the sleeves, 17, and blades, 16, within the propeller hub, 15.

1919, Fig. 1, are gears on the sleeves, 17, which with the pinions, 25 and 26, constitute the equalizing gears.

2222, Fig. 1, are stop bolts set in the hub, 15, and penetrating into the slots, 23, in the wall of the sleeves, 17 to limit the turning movement of the sleeves and blades.

24, Fig. 1, refers to small ball bearings easing the turning movement of the sleeves, 17.

25, Fig. 1, is the principal pinion of the equalizing gears.

26, Fig. 1, is an auxiliary pinion of the equalizing gears turning freely on the spindle-bolt, 29.

28-280, Figs. 123, is a jaw coupling connecting the operating cylinders, 3031, in the joint, engine and propeller shaft, 40, with the equalizing gears, 25-2619, in the propeller hub, 15; one half of the coupling, 280, is cut on the head, 301, of the inner operating cylinder, 30, and the other half, 28,

is cut-on the hub of the pinion, 25, of the equalizing gears.

29, Figs. 1 and 3, is a spindle bolt piercing the hub of the propeller, 15, and inions of the e ualizing gears 2526, and is then screwed rmly into the ead of the inner op erating cylinder, 30, thus tying the operating cylinders, 30-31, tothe equallzing gears an blades of the propeller.

30, Figs. 1-2 and 4, is the inner cylinder of the operating cylinders, having spiral ribs, 300, on the outside of the cylinder, cut to fit and slide in corresponding spiral grooves, 300, out on the inner side of the outer cylin- 31. Figs. 1 and 4, is the outer cylinder of the operating cylinders having longitudinal ribs, 32, on the outside of the cylinder, fitted to slide in corresponding longitudinal grooves, 32, cut on the inside of the shaft 40.

36, Fig. 1, is a mass of metallic balls filling the chambers, 43 431, and duct 430, and designed to convey a positive pressure from the piston head, 420, to the piston head, 42.

370-37, Fig. 1, shows a handwheel and screw connected to the piston head, 420, throu h a swivel joint, 39.

38, *ig. 1, is a fixed abutment threaded to engage the screw, 37.

39, Fig. 1, refers to a swivel joint connect ing the stationary handwheel-screw, 37, with the rotating engine shaft, 40, and 390 is an oil duct through the screw, 37 to the chambers and channels within the shaft.

40, Fig. 1, refers to the engine shaft which 7 is also the propeller shaft.

42, Fig. 1, is a piston head in the forward chamber, 43, and is connected with the outer cylinder, 31, of the telescoping, operating, cyinders,30-31.

43, Fig. 1, is the forward chamber and 431 is the-rear chamber in the shaft 40, housing tlfieflzalls and lubricating fluid, 36, within the s a 430 is a duct connecting the chambers, 43

and 431; 432 refers to metallic insets facilitating the construction of rounded corners in the duct, 430. 4

Operation Referring to Fig. 7 it is seen that the blades, 16, have a greater area, 160, on the trailing side, Lc, L-d, of the axial center, L, than on the leading side and when the propeller is rotated the excess pressure of air on this excess area, 160, tends to reduce the pitch angle and turn the blades on their axis, L, from a position, 0-c, of great pitch (relative to, bb) to a position of lesser pitch, dd, thus decreasing the pitch angle of the blades automatically. The pitch angle is then increased, against this automatic decrease, by manual operation of the handwheel and screw, 370 and 37, through the mechanism within the engine shaft, 40, and hub, 15, of

the propeller, as described in the foregoing specification. An auxiliary compression spring, 303, is set within the telescoping cylinders, 30-31, to reduce the Epitch angle of the blades from c--c to H, 1g. 7, when the propeller stops rotating and the air pressure on the eccentric area, 160, of the blades ceases. The spring is shown fully extended and the telescoping cylinders also extended, showing the balls, 36, driven back throu h the duct, 430, into the rear chamber, 43. n-this osition the handwheel-screw, 37 is drawn ack the full limit, as shown on liig. 1, and the blades stand at their minimum pitch as shown by, d-d, Fig. 7.

What I claim in this invention as new and useful and meriting Letters Patent is 1. In a tortuous engine and propeller shaft having a channel through the center for lubri'-, cating purposes, means for conveying a positive continuous pressure and movement from one body to another through the shaft and channel, by having the channel filed with metallic balls, and a lubricating flui flowing freely between and around the balls.

2. In a rotating aeroplane propeller having a tortuous shaft, means for varying the itch angle of the blades, manually, while in 'ght, by having a channel through the shaft with a chamber at each end of the channel; metallic balls filling the chambers and channel and a lubricating fluid flowing freelybetween and around the balls; a piston-head in the rear end chamber connected with means for moving this piston forward and backward, and

a second piston-head in the forward end chamber connected with the blades of the propeller through rotative mechanism within this chamber and within the hub of the pro- 40 peller; so that a forward movement of the rear piston in the rear chamber is transmitted through, the balls and fluid to the forward iston and mechanism in the forward chamr, causing the e ualizing gears and blades in the propeller hu toturn and increase the pitch angle of the blades accordingly, and against a counter-acting ressure of air on the trailing edge of the b ades, whichpressure is constantly tending to decrease the pitch.

3. In a tortuous engine and propeller shaft having an angular channel or duct, bored through its center; means for curvm the I D angular intersections of the several ores to permit the free passage of balls throughthe duct; by connecting the bores at each intersection through a metallic inset having a curve of the duct within the inset.

4 ROBERT YATES. 

